After you’ve shopped for disc golf discs a few times, you start to understand that the weight of the disc matters. In fact, we have a great article to help you choose which weight you should use: What Weight Discs Golf Discs Should I Throw? That’s helpful if you know the exact weight, but how do you figure it out?
Manufacturer Weight
First, let’s discuss the weight given by the disc manufacturer. You might see a sticker on the bottom like Discraft does, or a hand-penned version like Innova does. Or you might get something else. Here’s the important note about those weights though – they aren’t super accurate. Sure, the number is likely in the ballpark, but not often is it an exact representation of the disc’s weight. So you’ll likely want to weigh it yourself.
Wear and Tear
Maybe your disc was a hand-me-down from someone else and the manufacturer’s estimate has long worn off. Or maybe there are scrapes, gauges, or chunks missing from the disc that theoretically “modify” the disc. Aftermarket dye jobs tend to change the weight a little too. Or, perhaps you want to purchase an exact replica of your buddy’s disc. Whatever the reason, you’ll want to know how to weigh the disc at home.
Scale Features
Ok, so you’re convinced that you need to weigh your disc. We have a few recommendations of scales that work best. Really, any kitchen scale will do well, but there are a few features that we desire.
First, make sure the scale has an option to display in grams. That’s how we talk about discs, grams, so it makes sense to have a direct reading without needing to do the math to convert units.
Second, you’ll want a digital readout. Our whole goal is to get an accurate reading, so why rely on your eyes to read an analog scale?
Third, make sure the scale has a flat surface to lay the disc. Sure, the tray scales are ok but a flat one is just more convienent.
Finally, and most important really, check the accuracy of the scale. Some are accurate to within 1 gram and others can get within 1/10 gram. It is up to you to choose your desired accuracy but it generally only costs a few more dollars to get a more accurate model.
Recommended Scales
Ok, we finally made it. Here are a few scales we recommend for weighing your own discs at home.
Tomiba Digital Touch Pocket Scale
Simply put, this is the most accurate and user friendly scale we’ve tried in this price range.
ABrand SF-2012 Digital Kitchen Scale
This is Chris’s choice because it is cheap, accurate enough, and comes with batteries!
Nicewell Max Digital Kitchen Scale
We’ll call this our Cadillac option. It weighs up to 33 lbs, which is way heavier than you need but could be useful if you weigh a box of discs for shipping purposes.
How to Weigh Your Disc Golf Disc
The process for weighing your disc golf disc is rather simple.
- Place the scale on a flat surface
- Turn on the scale
- Press the Tare/Zero button to set the zero point
- Carefully place you disc as close to the center of the platform while still allowing you to see the readout
- You’ll quickly get a readout of the disc’s official weight.
You’ll quickly get a readout of the disc’s official weight. Don’t be alarmed if it is a few grams off from the weight you thought you ordered, just like this Glo Luna labeled 173-174g weighs in at 175.1g. We recommend weighing a few times and averaging the results just to be certain.
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One Comment
Nick Fotopoulos
I actually weighed my disc 3 days ago. All of them, from several years old to almost brand new, weigh exactly what was written on the disc, based on standard rounding to the nearest gram. Also, even if your disc says 173-174 and it’s 175.1 it does not matter at all. You will never notice a 1-2 gram difference when throwing. Spend that time practicing your throw instead of weighing your disc. A beat in disc’s characteristic are more likely to change for non-weight related reason than because a gram or two of plastic was lost. If you throw it regularly then you already know exactly what it will and will not do regardless of how much it weighs.